Unit drier



Dec. 25 1923-.

L.. B. CASE UNIT DRIER Filed Oct. 31 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOR/VEYS wi 5,5552%:M

@255 age WITNESSES Dec. 25, 1923. 1,478.938

. B. CASE UNIT DRIER Filed Oct. 31 1922 4 Sheets-Sh eet 2 WIN llllllmh,

WITNESSES 1 IN VEN TOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 25, 1923;

WITNESSES LSheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR L.5. Case ATTORNEYS Dec. 25 1923;. 1,478,938

L. B. CASE UNIT DRIER Filed Oct. 31 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HUM , INVENTOH L.5. Case WITNESSES v BY Z LE I v Arron/ms Patented Dec. 25, 1923.

uuirao STATES 1,478,938 PATENT QEEICE.

iYN n. r HQ Q MLL Ne X KHAn GN aesreNeeen WALL PAPER I w, HUDN.F.AI.'L.$,,1\I.IJW YQB Ameaw ee r UNIT Damn.

Application filed October 31, 1-922. Serial Me an.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LYNN B. CASE, a citizen of the :United States, and a resident of Hudson Falls, in the county of VVashington and State of New York,;have invented a new and. Improved Unit Drier, of-

which. the following is a full, clear, and

exact description.

1 This invention relates to a drying appa- H) ratus for removing moisture from materials after the same have been subjected to a coatingoperation, and has to do particularly .with an improved unit drier for-wall aver in which the same is arran ed in l festoons .on a traveling rack and passed through the apparatus. i l

At the present time, the standard-equipmentemployed for this purpose consistsof one central heaterandblower which forces air through sheet iron distributing duets citherover oriunderthe festoon to'drive the air against the moist surfaces-throughsmall openings inthe ducts. Thismethodof drying necessarily requires a rack of great -15 lcngtln that is, between onehundred to two hundred and fifty feet .andiithas been found impossible to effect individual controldue to the fact that the same ,blowerihandles the air fora number ofracks.

:a sit is, therefore, one ;of the .main, objects of the present invention to provide a unit drier which will accomplish the same work in an apparatus of lesser length, approximately thirty-four feet and which at jthe .5 same timewillgive individual control.

As a further object the invention,-contem-' plates a unit-drier, whichin addition to; the common practice of blowing, directly downward into the festoon, includes means for effecting a counter-current courseby the-employment of deflectors which greatly facili-v that the air blasts inside are perfectly balanced. v

' Furthermore the invention contemplates the employment of a plurality of independent driers preferably superposed with re spect to each other and provided with an air duct connecting the same, which duct is provided with automatically operable means for establishing. communication between the several drier's when in operation or forcutting out those which are not inoperation. Under this operationiconsiderable heat is saved; due to the fact .that the moisture content ,from' the -festoon'ed .material. in the upper drier is J. extremely small as. compared with that of thedower drier.

.-With the Q above recited and ;-other objects and; advantagesiinviewatheinvention resides in. the .novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts'set forth in the fol lowing specification, particularly pointed out in the-appended claims-and illustrated in FtllG accompanying drawings, :it being understood fthatthe right-is reserved to embodiments other than those actually illus trated .herein to the ,:full extent. indicated by the general ,ineaning of the terms in whichthe claims areexpres'sed.

,In1the.drawings. 7 ii 7 :Figureljs aside view' ofaunit drier .con structed in vacco'rdancelwith the invention.

' 1Fig. 2 is a. sectional plan tview, taken approximately on the line 22, of Eig. 1. -fFigx3- is anend view. I Eig. 4 is a similar View of theopposite end.

Fig. =5 isia transversezsectional ,view. taken approximately on the line indicated at 5 5 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. .6 is .a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line '66 of Fig.4. i

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately onwthemline 77 of Fig. 4. a

. eferring to the drawings by characters of reference, 10 andill designate respectively upper and .lower units which are of substantially 1 identical 1 construction, the same being 'of rectangular formation. Each unit is divided byja longitudinalvertical partition 12 intoparallel passagewayswhich are further subdivided by transversepartitions 13 and 14: into individual compartments 15 and16. ;A line orbank of heating pipes 17 extends. longitudinally through all of the V compartments for a purpose to be here- V tooned material (not illustrated) is adapted to pass. The compartments 15 are provided with intake openings in the end wall 18 and the partitions 13. A deflector 21 extends at an angle from a point below the intake opening 20 longitudinally and I upwardly to a point immediately below the heating pipes '17 and directly above the intake opening 20 of the next succeeding compartment. The longitudinal partition 12 terminates at its lower end above the bottomwall22 of the units 10 and 11 with depending port1ons-23 covering the lower forward side of the deflector plate 21 to provide a space or passage 24 which establishes communication between the portion of the compartments 15 which underlie the deflector plate and the compartments 16. The upper edge of the longitudinal partition 12 terminates below the top wall 25 of the unit to atford passages 26 which establish communication between the upper portion of the compartments "15 and the compartments 16. Longitudinally extending downwardly curved baflles 27 and 28 are secured to the under side of the top wall 25 within the compartments 16. A plurality of staggered longitudinally extending battles 29 and 30 are arranged respectively on the inner side of the outer side wall 31' of each unit and the inner side of the longitudinal partition 12 and disposed longitudinally within the compartments 16. The rear end wall 18 of the upper unit is provided with an outlet opening 32 with which the intake end of a vertical by-pass or duct 33 communicates, the outlet enolthereof being connected to and communicating with the intakeopening 3 1 in the end wall 18 of the lower or subterposed unit 11. The bypass or duct 33 is provided with a doorway 35 which is normally closed by a gravity actuated door 36 hingedly connected at its upper end as at 37 within said doorway. Each of the compartments 15 and 16 of the lower unit are constructed'precisely the same as those of the upper unit with the exception that the air in the lower unit is designed to travel counter-current to the air in the upper unit and therefore the deflector plates 21 are reversed.

is connected to a motor or other suitable.

driving means 39 and has mounted thereon tans or'blowers to which are arrangedre spectively withln the openings 20, 32 and 34.

per unit suck in the air from under the deflector plate 21 of the preceding compartment and blow into the succeeding compartment above the deflector plate withthe exception of the rearmostfan or blower which blows into the duct or bypass 33. The first fan or blower 40 of the lower unit sucks air from the by-passxor duct 33 through the intake opening 3 1 into the first compartment of said lower unit above the deflector plate 21 while the remaining blowers or fans operate to intake air from under the deflector plate of the preceding unit and discharge above the deflector plate 21 of the succeeding unit with the exception of the last fan or blower 40 which discharges into a moist air discharge pipe 41 communicating with the opening 20 within which said last blower operates.

In operation the first blower of the upper unit takes air from an outside source, forces it inside the first compartment against the upper side of the deflector plate 21 where it is projected upwardly against and over the heated surfaces of the pipe banks and thence through the passage '26 against the downwardly curved baflies 27 and 28 into the first compartment 16 and directly downwardinto the festoons of the material on the traveling rack. During its. passage downwardly into said festoons the heatedair will move through a sinuous lateral course under the influence of the staggered longitudlnally extending battles or deflectors '29 and 30. At the same time the blower 'or fan 40 of the succeeding compartment will induce and draw the heated air from the previous. com partment under the lower edge of the longitudinal partition 12 through the space or passage 24 and discharge the same into said succeeding compartment where the temperature will be increased bypassing over the heating pipes to increase its absorbing capacity. The same operation follows in each succeeding compartment in the upper drier unit until the heated air is finally discharged through the opening 32 into the bypass or duct 33. By keying all'of the blowers to one shaft a uniform result from each blower is obtained, namely the volume of air handled per compartment of the drier is the same in each case as each succeeding blower, re-handles: the same volumeof air which the preceeding blower started. This eliminates undue leakage of the heated air through the clearance spaces in the drier housings as the air blasts inside are perfectly balanced.

VVh-en both sets of blowers are in operation the;swinging dooror shutter 36 will bemaintained bygravitydn a vertical position a due to the fact that the pressures on both sides are balanced. This permitsxthe heated air in the upper drier unit to pass to the lower 1 drier unit without mixing with outside ,air. The reason foremploying the air duct is thatithe moisture content in the hanging material passing through the upper unit is very small as comparedwith that on the rack of the lower unit socthat it is .found possible to'continue'the circulation through the lower unit 'forthe purpose of saving considerable'heat'and efiecting real economy. If the lower drier sis not in operation the door or shutter 36 Will swing and allow the discharge from the upper drier to escape through the vdoorway 36. When the .upper drier is not running and'the lower drier isin operatio-nthe door or shutter 36 swings inwardly allowing air to be supplied from the interior. through the doorway 35. It is thusobvious that the door of the by-pass 33 automatically operates ,to properly function and carry out theobjects of the invention.

' In conclusion and to sum up the objects and advantages which are accomplished by the apparatusfit may -be br1efly stated that the invention of'this construction is to re move moisture from materials whichhave been-passed'through a coating operation (particularly in thecase of wall paper) with the materialhanging in festoons' on a traveling raok.' 'Tothis end first theapparatus embodies :a unit which includes a plurality of compartments through which the traveling rack and festooned material successively travel and in which-compartments the discharged air from the preceding compartmentis re-handledand re-heated to increase itstemperatureand decrease the humidityr Second, the apparatus fea-' tures means for-withdrawing and discharg ing air successively from; preceding compartments into succeedingv compartments by means of blower elements thatare simultaneously driven at the same rateof speed, preferably by a common driving means. Third, inaddition to blowing directly downward into'the festoons, the apparatus effects simultaneously the blowing in a sinuous course transversely of the t'estoon, or in other words causing the air currents to travel downwardly and laterally. Fourth, the principle of employing one or more units in a battery formationby utilizinga by-pass equipped with an automatic door or shutterwvhich operates and functions automatically when one or more ofthe units are thrown out of operation.

I claim:

1 A *dryingapparatus embodying a casing including a plurality of compartments through-which a traveling rack, carrying the festooned material is adapted to -move, meansfor initiallyintakingair into the first compartment, means in the succeeding compartments for intakingair from the preceding compartments, means forheating theair taken into said compartments, and means for exhausting-{the air fromthe lastcompartment.

2. Adrying apparatus embodying'a casing includingia plurality of compartments through which a traveling rack carrying the festooned material is adapted to move, means for initially intaking air into the first compartment, meansin the succeeding compartments for intaking air from the preceding compartments, means for heating the air taken'into said compartments,means for exhausting the air from the last.compartment, and avcommonmeans for actuating festoons, means torheatingthe air in each if compartment prior to its contact withthe festoons, and means for exhausting the; air

from the last compartment.

4. A drying apparatus including a battery 7 ofisuperposed' units each comprising a cas ing-consistingiof a plurality ofcompartments through which a traveling rack sup I porting-the material to be dried in festoons is'adapted to-move, means for initially in takingthe air into the first compartment, means-in the succeeding compartments for withdrawing 'the air from the preceding compartment and eflecting its introduction thereinto, means for heating the air in said compartments and means for expelling the air from the last compartment, and-a connect-ion between the last compartment of one of the units and the firstcompartmentof the other unit, said connectionhaving an opening therein, and automatically operable means for uncovering thesame todischarge or intake through said connection when one of the units is out of operation.

a 5. A drying apparatus embodying a casing, a longitudinally disposed vertical partition therein, transversepartitions subdividing the same into parallel longitudinal series of heating compartments and drying compartments, aheating medium in said heating compartment, "a passageway extending through the drying compartments through which the material to be dried, in festooned form on a traveling rack is adapted to pass, said longitudinal partition having an upper assa e communicatin with the u er oring a draft of air therethrough and against the heating medium, thence into the drying compartment and finally into the succeeding heating compartment.

6. A drying apparatus embodying a casing, a longitudinally disposed vertical partition therein, transverse partitions subdividing the same into parallel longitudinal'series of heating compartments and drying compartments, a heating medium in said heating compartment, a passageway extending through the drying compartments through which the material to be dried, in festooned form on a traveling rack is adapted to pass, said longitudinal partition having an upper passage communicating with the upper portion'of the heating compartment and a lower passage communicating with the succeeding heating compartment, means associated with each heating compartment for inducing a draft of air therethrough and against the heating medium, thence into the drying compartment and finally into the succeeding heating compartment, and staggered baflie plates on the opposite side walls of each drying compartment for causing the heated air to travel in a sinuous course through the festooned material.

7. An apparatus of the character described comprising parallel longitudinal. rows of heating and drying compartments, each heat ing and drying compartment having communication'with each other at their upper ends and each succeeding heating compartment having communication with the preceding drying compartment at its lower end, heating elements in the heating compartment, meansfor initially intaking air into thefirst heating compartment, means in the succeedingheating compartments for intaking' air from the preceding drying compartment, and means for expelling the air from the last drying compartment, the said drying compartments having aligned passageways through which the material to be dried is adapted to be passed in festoon form on a traveling rack. 1 8. An apparatus of the character described comprising parallel longitudinal rows of heating and drying compartments, each heating and drying compartment having communication with each other at their upper ends and each succeeding heating compartment having communication with the preceding drying compartment at its lower end, heating elements in the heating 7 the compartment, means for initially intaking air into the first heating compartment, means in the succeeding heating compartments for intaking air from thepreceding drying compartment, means for expelling the air from the last drying compartment, said drying compartments having aligned passageways through which the material to be dried is adapted to be passed in festoon form on a traveling rack, and a common means for actuating the said intaking and expelling means;

9. An apparatus or the character described comprising parallel longitudinal rows of heating and drying compartments, each'heating and drying compartment having communication with each other at their upper ends and each succeeding heating compartment having communication. with the preceding drying compartment at its lower. end, heating elements in the heating compartment, means for initially intaking air into the first heating compartment, means in the succeeding heatlng compartments for intaking air from thepreceding drying compartment, means for expelling the air from the last drying compartment, the said drying compartments having aligned passageways through which the material to be dried is adaptedto be passedin :l'estoon form on .a traveling rack, and means in each drying compartment for causing the heated air to travel downwardly in a sinuous course through the i'estoon.

l 10. Adry-ing apparatus including a pair of superposed drying units eachconsisting of parallel rows of longitudinally spaced beating and drying compartments, the dry ing compartments having communicating aligned passageways through which the material to be dried is passed in festoon formation, heating elements in the heating. compartments, means in the first heating compartment for blowing air. upwardly therethrough and into the upper portion of the 7 adjacent drying compartment, means in the succeeding heating compartments for drawing the air downwardly throu h the pre: ceding drying. compartment and lowing the same upwardly through said compartment 4 and into the upper portion of the adjacent drying compartment, and means for drawing the air from the last drying compartment and expelling the same therefromQ 11. A drying apparatus including a pair of superposed drying units each consisting of parallel rows of longitudinally spaced heating and drying compartments the drying compartments having communicating aligned passageways through which the material to be dried is passed in festoon formation, heating elements in the heating compartments, means in the first heatingcomglartment for blowing air upwardly there t rough and into the upper portion of the adjacent drying compartment, means in the the air from the last drying compartment succeeding heating compartments for drawand expelling the same therefrom, and ing the air downwardly through the premeans for causing the air which travels 1 ceding drying compartment and blowing the d wnwardly through the drying o0mpartsame upwardly through said compartment ments to pass through a lateral sinuous and into the upper portion of the adjacent course. I

drying compartment, means for drawing LYNN B. CASE. 

